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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ball — a dance
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. tear — to rip
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ball — a great time
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stand — for spectators

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com